Page 84 of Arrows and Gems
“Cap?”
He restrained his hand when it tried to reach for her again. But he couldn’t stop the warmth in his eyes.
“Always.”
CHAPTER 29
Helena
It might be inaccurate since he’d left her with the main group only that day, but Cap’s response still lifted the corners of her mouth as Helena tromped over to the fire. How could a single word make her feel so many things?
She rubbed her ankle, then set to work on the bread. A day of rest would have been nice, but they couldn’t risk it. Not when someone might want the messenger’s satchel back.
And after hearing about Cap’s day… The intel she’d stolen was worth another day of walking. He and his band had taken her in. She might return to Ralnor someday, but in the meantime, his battle was hers.
She smirked. And so was his quiver of arrows.
The snow increased during the night. Cap didn’t want to linger, so they packed up the next morning as planned. Helena’s ankle ached from the weather and from hiking through the drifts, but she didn’t complain. Cap was counting on her to be their rearguard. She would have preferred her old place next to him, but the compliment to her skill pleased her.
The next several days were a blur as they traveled deeper into the mountain range. Finally, they were surrounded by enough rock and steep slopes that Cap felt safe letting them rest while Jean-haut and Rouge spent their magic developing a new system of communication.
Helena sank gratefully onto a log and set the packet of salton Jean-haut’s latest table. It was so much easier to mix dough on a table than on her lap.
Cap sat next to her and pulled a whetstone from his satchel. “I plan to hunt tomorrow; we need to stock up on food that will travel.”
She nodded and poured a little more water into the flour. “Dried meat will last longer than our bread. I’ve heard of a bread sailors take on their ships, but Rouge doesn’t know how to make it.”
A tiny curve lifted one side of his lips as he began sharpening a knife. “Amitié is landlocked. And hardtack isn’t standard fare in a castle anyway.”
“No, I suppose not.” She eyed the baby smile, wondering how she could make it larger. The one he’d given her a few days earlier had been exquisite. And she still hadn’t made him laugh.
He focused on his blade, and she returned to her bread. His elbow kept bumping her as he ran the knife over the stone in swift, smooth strokes.
“This seems dangerous,” she casually commented. “It would be a little too easy to knock that into your other hand. And holding a bow would be difficult with your hand covered in bandages.”
Pausing, he turned to examine her. “You are correct,” he said after a moment. He scooted sideways. “My apologies.”
For some reason, she’d lost progress on his smile.
“Is the hunting good in this area?” Helena sliced off a piece of dough and rolled it into a ball. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, but he didn’t look up from his work.
“I don’t know. Not many people wander back this far, but it is the middle of winter.” He set down the whetstone and inspected his blade. “We’ll set traps if we need to.”
They fell into silence again. Tucker plopped onto a log across from them. “Do you need me to join the hunt, Cap? I’vebeen practicing my archery, and I’m getting alotbetter.”
Cap glanced up. “You have to be patient to hunt.”
The boy’s eyes turned pleading. “Aw, come on, Cap. I’m patient when you put me on sentry duty!”
“You spend the whole time climbing trees.”
“Patrolling!” Tucker protested. “I can’t keep watch from a stationary point. And being in the trees gives me a better angle. Because…I’m higher up.”
The skin next to Cap’s eyes crinkled. “If Adrien is willing to take you, you may join his group.”
Pumping his fist, Tucker popped back to his feet. “Thanks, Cap! I’ll go ask him right now.”
“I didn’t realize that Adrien hunts,” Helena mused as Tucker dashed off.
